PARIS — Europe’s far-right politicians are desperate to make friends with Donald Trump, but the U.S. Republican candidate is snubbing them — at least for now.

As Trump continues to dominate headlines — in the U.S. and in Europe — with provocative statements that women who seek abortions should be subject to “some form of punishment” or that NATO is “obsolete,” far-right and Euroskeptic groups from France to Italy to the Netherlands are trying to ride the billionaire’s momentum to make gains at home.

In early March, a group of MEPs linked to French far-right leader Marine Le Pen traveled to Washington, where they hoped to meet Trump at the Conservative Political Action Conference, according to several sources with direct knowledge of the trip.

“I spoke to Ludovic De Danne,” said a U.S.-based source who described himself as an adviser to the Trump campaign and manager of his social media pages, but asked not to be named. “He called me because he knows I work with Trump. He said: ‘While we are there it would be nice if we could meet with some senior Republicans, including Donald Trump.'”

The source added that while Trump was “super concerned” with the situation in Europe, he did not want to meet foreign politicians who would do little to advance his domestic campaign.

“I think the moment he has the nomination he will be a lot more free to reach out,” the source added.

Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks did not respond to requests for comment.

De Danne told POLITICO that the MEPs had paid for the trip out of a parliamentary budget for fact-finding missions.

At the Conservative Political Action Conference, they met with two supporters of Trump’s rival for the GOP nomination, Ted Cruz: Congressmen Robert Pittenger and Steve King.

“We were also meant to meet Trump, had he been free. But the goal of the trip was not to express support for the Trump campaign,” De Danne said.

While De Danne said that Marine Le Pen was equally interested in Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders and Trump as “anti-establishment” candidates, a National Front official in the U.S. said that a meeting between her and Trump was possible in coming months.

“Rest assured, Marine Le Pen has very good contacts on a high level with his [Trump’s] campaign,” said Denis Franceskin, the Front’s representative in the United States. “During the [French] presidential campaign this will become clearer.”

‘Go, Donald, go!!’

The National Front’s position toward Trump is evolving quickly. While Le Pen bristled at being compared to the Republican candidate in December, saying that she was “not American” and that she defended all French people “regardless of their religion,” her party’s tune changed as Trump racked up primary wins.

In February, Vice President Florian Philippot praised Trump for “questioning the establishment.” Another Front executive, Louis Aliot, told Le Monde newspaper that he agreed with Trump’s calls for a “more moderate United States in terms of foreign policy.”

And Robert Menard, a far-right mayor who is close to the National Front, said of Trump: “His views and his sensibility are very close to that of the [French] patriotic right.”

Outside of France, politicians are less bashful about their admiration for the real estate mogul. Matteo Salvini, head of Italy’s Euroskeptic Northern League, posted in February on his Facebook page: “Go, Donald, go!!” reaping some 2,000 comments.

Geert Wilders, head of the Freedom Party in the Netherlands, showed similar enthusiasm on Twitter, writing: “I hope Donald Trump will be the next U.S. President. Good for America, Good for Europe. We need brave leaders.”

A representative for Wilders’ party did not respond to a request for comment.

A Salvini representative said a meeting with Trump was in the cards.

“We are working on a meeting between Salvini and Trump, I’ll make no secret of it,” spokeswoman Iva Garibaldi told POLITICO. “I can’t say when with certainty, but soon. I am positive it will happen.”

Marco Dugnani, an Italian MEP from the Northern League, was less sure but confirmed the “work was in progress” to make a meeting with Trump happen. The Northern League is hoping to get a photo opportunity with the Republican candidate ahead of local elections in Italy, which take place between May and June.

Salvini shares Trump’s admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin. In October 2014, Salvini flew to Moscow for a 20-minute sitdown with Putin during which they talked Europe, immigration and Italy-Russia connections. A photo of the meeting posted by Salvini on his Facebook page received 27,000 likes.

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David Pound

Opposing the EUSSR isn’t ‘far right’.

Posted on 4/7/16 | 9:23 AM CEST

Michael Iger

Looks like Trumps position is fitting in nicely with the radical thinking of the far right in Europe. It says a lot about how his views are interpreted by those in the know of his dog whistle. Trump has been characterized as a fascist which fits in nicely with their thinking. America is being drawn into the realm of world-wide Nativists by his candidacy along with the GOP and Isolationism.

Posted on 4/7/16 | 10:14 PM CEST

duhh

“Europe’s Far Right”: Fat bald men who like to dress up in scary costumes? Exuberant football fans? Boogie men outside the window? A myth used to scare children. Europe has no “far Right” any more, beyond the usual handful of costumed eccentrics you see anywhere. Geert Wilders is Centre-Right, a libertarian. His critics are idiots.

Posted on 4/8/16 | 12:27 AM CEST

Atheist Reactionary

Far-right? What is it with this myth? There is nothing far-right about these parties.

Posted on 4/8/16 | 12:43 AM CEST

budulinek

Funny how European far right is eager to lick the boots of the “strongmen” in Russia and the USA.

Funny how those who fight the “EUSSR” lick the boots of neosoviet dictator in Russia.

Funny how the European far rights puts their bet on “the Donald” who is hugely unpopular in Europe (and he will remain so even if he wins US presidency.

Funny how Le Pen wants to use him in her own presidential campaign. For sure that would do her more harm.